Jeffrey Lurie, the owner of the Eagles, donated $50 million to establish an autism institution in collaboration with CHOP and Penn.

Eagles Owner Jeffrey Lurie’s Landmark $50 Million Gift to Propel Autism Research

Jeffrey Lurie, the visionary chairman and owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, has once again demonstrated his profound commitment to the community by pledging a historic $50 million donation to establish the Lurie Autism Institute in collaboration with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Penn Medicine. Announced on June 10, 2025, this gift marks the largest single donation ever made to U.S. hospitals for autism research and treatment, underscoring Lurie’s dedication to advancing scientific understanding and clinical care for individuals on the autism spectrum .

A Philanthropic Legacy Rooted in Personal Experience

Lurie’s commitment to the autism community is deeply rooted in his personal life. His late brother, Peter, was diagnosed with autism during Lurie’s childhood, inspiring a lifelong devotion to supporting neurodevelopmental research. In 1977, Lurie’s mother, Nancy Lurie Marks, founded the Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation, which later launched the Lurie Center for Autism at Massachusetts General Hospital in 2009. This foundation has since been at the forefront of funding breakthroughs in autism care and research, establishing a family legacy that Jeffrey Lurie has carried forward with zeal and empathy .

Since joining the Eagles organization in 1994, Lurie has leveraged the team’s platform to raise awareness and funds for autism. In 2018, he launched the Eagles Autism Foundation (EAF), which has successfully raised over $40 million to date, including more than $10 million in 2025 alone. The new $50 million pledge will significantly amplify these efforts, positioning Philadelphia as a global epicenter for autism research and care .

Establishing the Lurie Autism Institute

The centerpiece of Lurie’s gift is the creation of the Lurie Autism Institute (LAI), envisioned as a collaborative hub uniting leading scientists, clinicians, families, students, and donors under one roof. Located on the grounds of CHOP and Penn Medicine’s joint facilities in Philadelphia, the LAI will foster interdisciplinary research spanning genetics, neurobiology, behavioral science, and innovative treatment modalities. By bringing together CHOP’s world-renowned Center for Autism Research and Penn Medicine’s expertise in translational neuroscience, the Institute aims to accelerate discoveries that can be translated into tangible improvements in diagnosis, intervention, and lifelong support .

According to the Eagles’ official press release, the LAI will employ cutting-edge artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to analyze vast datasets—ranging from genomic sequences to behavioral assessments—to uncover novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. It will also establish state-of-the-art laboratory models to probe the biological processes underlying autism’s diverse manifestations. Importantly, the Institute will prioritize research on minimally verbal and nonverbal individuals, a population historically underrepresented in clinical studies, building on innovative protocols such as CHOP’s MEG-PLAN that adapt neuroimaging methods for participants with limited communication abilities .

Amplifying Clinical Innovation and Community Engagement

Beyond fundamental research, the Lurie Autism Institute will serve as a nexus for clinical innovation. It will host multi-site clinical trials testing novel pharmacological agents, behavioral interventions, and digital therapeutics designed to enhance communication, social engagement, and daily living skills. Additionally, the Institute will develop specialized training programs for healthcare providers, educators, and caregivers, ensuring that breakthroughs in the laboratory are rapidly disseminated into community-based services.

Community engagement is a core tenet of the LAI’s mission. Regular symposia, public lectures, and family workshops will be held to foster dialogue between researchers and families, empowering individuals with autism and their loved ones to contribute to research priorities and advocate for their needs. This inclusive approach reflects Lurie’s conviction that those most affected by autism should play an active role in shaping the future of research and care .

Strengthening Philadelphia’s Research Ecosystem

Philadelphia has long been recognized as a powerhouse in biomedical research, with CHOP and Penn Medicine among its crown jewels. CHOP’s Center for Autism Research (CAR) treats over 10,000 patients on the autism spectrum annually and maintains a robust portfolio of federally funded studies on neurodevelopmental disorders. Penn Medicine brings expertise in stem cell biology, neurogenetics, and advanced imaging techniques, making the city uniquely poised to tackle the complexities of autism from multiple angles .

By consolidating existing strengths and fostering new collaborations, the LAI will create synergies across disciplines. Researchers at Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine will collaborate with CHOP’s neuroscientists to integrate findings from mouse models and human cell systems, while bioinformatics teams will develop shared data repositories and analytic pipelines. This integrated ecosystem will reduce duplication of efforts, accelerate hypothesis testing, and maximize the impact of every research dollar invested.

Addressing an Urgent Public Health Challenge

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects approximately 1 in 36 children in the United States, with nearly 2 percent of adults also falling within the spectrum. Despite its prevalence, autism has historically received less research funding per affected individual than many other neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions. Lurie’s $50 million donation addresses this funding gap at scale, providing a catalyst for increased public and private investment in autism research and care .

Early diagnosis and intervention have been shown to improve long-term outcomes for individuals with autism, yet access to specialized assessments and therapies remains uneven across regions and socioeconomic groups. The LAI’s integrated model—combining research, clinical services, and community outreach—aims to develop scalable screening tools and evidence-based interventions that can be implemented in diverse settings, from urban centers to rural communities. Ultimately, the Institute’s work has the potential to transform the standard of care for millions of individuals on the spectrum and their families.

Inspiration and Future Directions

In reflecting on his family’s journey and the broader autism community, Lurie remarked, “We have much to learn about autism’s diverse biological and behavioral dimensions. By uniting CHOP and Penn Medicine with the Eagles Autism Foundation, we are building a model that will drive discoveries from the bench to the bedside and into people’s lives” . His vision extends beyond Philadelphia, with plans to collaborate with international partners to share data, protocols, and best practices, ensuring that the benefits of the LAI’s breakthroughs are felt worldwide.

The Institute’s inaugural projects will include longitudinal studies tracking neurodevelopmental trajectories from infancy through adulthood, genetic analyses of families with multiple affected members, and pilot trials of novel digital interventions designed to enhance social communication. Over the next five years, the LAI aims to publish high-impact findings in leading scientific journals, train the next generation of autism researchers, and establish Philadelphia as the global epicenter for autism science.

Conclusion

Jeffrey Lurie’s extraordinary $50 million donation represents more than a record-breaking gift; it is a transformative investment in the future of autism research, care, and community empowerment. By founding the Lurie Autism Institute in partnership with CHOP and Penn Medicine, Lurie is not only honoring his family’s legacy but also catalyzing a collaborative effort that will drive innovation across genetics, neurobiology, clinical practice, and public policy. As the Institute takes shape, its work promises to yield breakthroughs that will improve the lives of individuals on the autism spectrum and their families for generations to come. In uniting the passions of scientists, clinicians, families, and advocates, Lurie has set a new standard for philanthropy—one that places hope, discovery, and inclusion at the heart of its mission.